A new study from the Journal of Sex Research has found that people who regularly attend religious services — of any faith background — are more likely to have a very satisfying love life.
The study’s findings indicate that devout adults are more content with their bedroom activities than those who are not religious or engage in casual sex. Essentially, “quality over quantity” seems to be the key factor.
“The relationship between sex frequency and sexual satisfaction is neither simple nor straightforward,” said Dr. Nitzan Peri-Rotem, one of the lead researchers. “Across all relationship types, too little or too much sex is associated with lower sexual satisfaction, suggesting that an optimum exists in terms of frequency related to higher satisfaction levels.”
According to the study, while religious people engage in less sexual activity than non-religious ones, the sex they are having leaves them “more fulfilled” than people engaging in casual sexual encounters.
The team of researchers also found sex outside of marriage — whether casual or without love — was not considered sexually satisfying for both men and women who worship.
“As religious individuals are less likely to engage in casual sex and are more likely to limit sexual activity to a relationship based on love,” said Dr. Vegard Skirbekk, the study’s co-author, “this can lead to lower expectations of sexual activity outside a formal union, as well as increased satisfaction from sex life in general.”
